


I Miss You

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: These Little Words [8]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Airports, Derek Hale & Theo Raeken Friendship, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Idiots in Love, Liam Misses Theo, M/M, Minor Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Oh the Places We Go, Post-Canon, Theo Misses Liam, Thiam Half Birthday, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 16:18:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15028436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Both Theo and Liam have a hard time when Theo agrees to go with Derek to Nashville to talk to a pack that could be potential allies.





	I Miss You

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of my "These Little Words" series but can probably be read by itself. It's been a while but I figured this week as a good a time as any to finally write one of the ideas I've had floating around for it.  
> For Day 7 of the Thiam Half-Birthday celebration "Oh the Places We Go"

“Are you sure you have to go?” Liam mumbles against the skin of Theo’s throat, “Can’t someone else do it?”

“Derek asked me for help Li,” Theo says, running a hand through his hair, “I can’t just back out now. And it’ll only be for a week.”

“It’s too long,” Theo complains.

Theo sighs, moving so that Liam has to pull back to look at him, “I don’t like leaving you either, but I need to. Derek needs someone there with him when he talks to this pack and he asked me to do it. But I will call you and we can video chat every day if you want to.”

“No,” Liam sighs, “I mean I want to talk to you but I don’t want to be the clingy, annoying boyfriend. You should be able to go off on your own. You’ll be in Nashville. You should be exploring, having fun. Granted you’ll be with Derek so I’m not sure how much fun you can possibly have.”

Theo snorts, “Derek can be fun. He’s just reserved about who he lets see it.”

“Well maybe get him to let loose a bit so that you can have fun and see what Nashville has to offer,” Liam’s eyes light up as a thought occurs to hm. “Oh my god if you get him to go line dancing you have to tell me. No you’ll have to send me pictures.”

“I’m pretty sure the only person that can get him line dancing is Stiles,” Theo tells him. “Just like I wouldn’t dream of going without you.”

“Well then we’ll all just have to go there and go together,” Liam says.

“I can’t wait to see Derek’s face when I tell him you suggested a couples retreat,” Theo grins.

“You’ll have to take a picture,” Liam says, “I bet it’ll be good.”

“Me holding a camera up as I tell him would be just a bit suspicious.”

“Good point,” Liam says. He nuzzles into Theo’s neck and sighs, “How much longer?”

“I only have a few more minutes before I have to go,” Theo tells him.

“Okay.”

Liam doesn’t sound happy but he doesn’t complain either. Theo wouldn’t be able to blame him if he did. He gets where Liam is coming from. This is the longest the two have spent apart since they started dating a year and a half ago. Sure, they spend time apart doing their own thing but they always know the other is somewhere close and safe. Going across the country isn’t easy for Theo either. If something were to happen he wouldn’t be able to just get in his truck and find Liam. But he has to trust that things will stay calm, and that if they don’t Liam and the others can handle it.

Theo reluctantly pulls back when he hears Derek’s car pull up outside. Liam doesn’t say anything, just takes Theo’s hand and walks with him downstairs once Theo has grabbed his bag. Theo stops by the door, placing his bag on the floor and then pulls Liam in for a kiss. It’s not a goodbye, but a promise that he’ll return.

“I love you,” Theo murmurs against his lips.

“I love you too,” Liam says, voice soft.

“I should go,” Theo says, giving Liam a sad smile.

Liam nods and moves away from Theo. He walks outside with him, standing on the porch as Theo throws his bag in the backseat before hopping into the passenger’s side of Derek’s car. He looks towards the house to see Liam there watching him.

“Ready?” Derek asks.

Theo takes a deep breath before nodding his head. He doesn’t feel ready but there’s nothing he can do about that. Theo raises his hand and waves as they start to drive off, Liam doing the same. He looks in the side mirror, his eyes staying on Liam as they move further and further away until Liam isn’t in sight anymore.

***

The first day isn’t that bad. Mostly because it’s a busy day getting to the airport, catching their flight and then getting settled in. It’s at night, when Theo is laying in an unfamiliar bed alone that he really starts to miss Liam. It’s on the second night when Theo checks the clock. It’s going on 1 a.m. here meaning it would only be about 11 back home. Liam is probably still up.

Theo picks up his phone and video calls Liam, watching as it rings a few times before Liam’s face comes into view. He smiles when he sees Theo, “Hey! I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon. How’s the trip so far?”

“It’s not bad,” Theo tells him, “Everyone has been great and it’s nice out here. I just…”

“What?”

“I miss you,” Theo says, his words quiet but he knows Liam can hear him.

Liam’s’ face softens, “I miss you too. But it’s like you told me, it’s only for a week if the talk goes well. Do you think it will?”

Theo nods, “Yeah. Derek and Alpha Collins get along great. I can’t see any reason for this not to go well.”

“Well good,” Liam says, “I’m glad to hear it. We need as many allies as we can get.”

“Yes well they’re certainly not fans of Monroe,” Theo says, “Apparently some of the pack is from a pack just outside of St. Louis. She went through there and slaughtered most of them while the others fled.”

Theo doesn’t miss the look of guilt that crosses Liam’s face, nor the sadness in his voice when he speaks. “We let her get away and now she’s out there killing innocent people.”

“We had a lot to deal with Liam,” Theo says, “What she is doing isn’t our fault. She’s the one doing the killing and we’re doing all we can to stop her.”

“Yeah but…”

Liam’s words cut off when a howl sounds from outside. Theo frowns and sits up. He’s just standing up when his bedroom door opens and Derek comes rushing in, “Get dressed and get ready. We’re under attack.”

“Attack?” Liam squeaks out, “Theo? What? What’s happening?”

Theo looks to Derek whose face is grim when he speaks, “Monroe is here. She apparently has been tracking the members of the St. Louis pack. But we really need to go.”

“Go?” Theo asks. He rushes over to his bag and pulls out a pair of jeans, quickly slipping them on over his boxers. He grabs a shirt and turns to Derek as he puts it on, “We’re running?”

“What do you expect us to do?” Derek asks, grabbing Theo’s bag from the floor as Theo slips his shoes on.

He’s fully aware of Liam still on the line. He grabs his phone off the dresser where he’d put it to see Liam’s worried face staring back at him, “Theo…”

“We can’t let her hurt more people,” Theo tells him.

“I know,” Liam whispers. “Just be careful and come home to me.”

“I will,” Theo tells him. “I love you.”

“We’re not running away,” Theo says to Derek as they exit his room and start down the hall.

“I know,” Derek says, “We never were. I just didn’t want to worry Liam more than he already was.”

“So what do we do?”

“Most of the pack is fleeing,” Derek tells him. “They’re not ready for a fight yet. Their forces are still low and a lot of the newer members are still recovering from Monroe’s last attack.”

“So it’s on us?” Derek nods and Theo sighs, “Oh well, we’ve faced worse.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” An all too familiar voice says from down the hall. Then there’s the sound of a gun being loaded.

Theo and Derek share a look, nodding to each other before turning to face Monroe. Theo’s eyes glow gold and his claws and fangs drop while next to him Derek’s shifted with his eyes bleeding a brilliant red.

“I heard members of the Beacon Hills pack were visiting,” Monroe says, leveling her gun at them. “I was hoping for Scott, or even little _Liam_ , but I suppose you’ll have to do.”

Theo finds himself growling at the mention of Liam’s name. Beside him Derek tenses. At first Theo isn’t sure why, then he catches it. Another familiar scent is in the air, as well as a rabbit fast heartbeat.

“You’re not going near Liam,” Theo says, doing his best to keep Monroe looking at him.

She laughs, low and bitter, “We’ll see. Or well _I_ will. You’ll be too dead to witness it.”

There’s the sound of a gun firing and Theo moves, pushing Derek to the ground. Except a bullet never comes near them. Theo looks over at Monroe in confusion to see her in a heap in the ground, a hole in the back of her head. Above her stands Stiles, a gun in hand as he stares down at Monroe’s body.

“Is she dead?” Theo asks.

“I don’t know. Let’s see,” Stiles kicks Monroe hard in the back, nothing happens. He looks over at where Derek and Theo are still kneeling on the ground and grins. “Ding dong the witch is dead.”

Theo really can’t believe it. After everything they’ve done to try and track her down it ended like this. Not that he’s complaining. He’ll take the route with the least amount of bloodshed. Stiles walks over, offering Theo a hand up and then Derek, who he quickly pulls in for a hug.

“How many times now have I saved your ass?” Stiles asks.

“Too many,” Derek replies.

“Damn right,” Stiles says, “Too many. You need to quit putting yourself in danger.”

“I hadn’t planned to see Monroe here Stiles.”

“Maybe not, but you came here looking for allies. You had to have known it was a posibility.”

“What are you even doing here?” Theo asks, “Not that I’m not grateful for the save.  I just wasn’t expecting you.”

“I got time off and figured I’d come out and surprise Derek,” Stiles shrugs, “Now I’m glad I did.

“I think we all are,” Derek says.

“That’s for sure,” Theo says.

“You know, now that Stiles is here I wouldn’t be alone here,” Derek says, giving Theo a meaningful look.

“You mean…”

Derek nods, “Go home to your boyfriend Theo. Let him see that you’re okay.”

Theo doesn’t need to be told twice. He grabs his bag from the floor where they’d left, hugs Derek and even Stiles goodbye, before making his way outside. It’s not until he’s outside that he remembers something…

“Need a ride?” Derek asks, holding up the keys to their rental car. Theo can only nod.

He looks online, finding the next flight out of Nashville to Beacon Hills. He texts Liam on the way to the airport, giving him his flight information and letting him know he’s alive and on his way home. Theo is happy the flight home is mostly empty. It’s easier to keep his mind at ease without all the noise. He still grows restless the closer they get to Beacon Hills, the closer he gets to Liam. It’s only been 2 days but he misses him.

The whole mess with Monroe doesn’t help. He knows if the roles were reversed and it had been Liam dealing with this he would be going out of his mind with worry, despite reassurances that he was okay. It wouldn’t matter until he saw Liam and held him in his arms, heard the rhythm of his heart beating steadily in his chest. He imagines Liam must be feeling the same way and he wants to try and ease some of his worries.

Theo all but runs off the plane when he has a chance, speed walking his way through the airport, and taking the escalator down to the first level. He sees Liam almost immediately, standing in the middle of the room with his hands in his pockets. His eyes light up when he sees Theo, his posture relaxing a bit. He runs forward at the same time Theo does, the two of them crashing into each other hard enough that they stumble a bit, but somehow manage to keep their footing.

“I missed you,” Liam mumbles against his neck, his grip tight against the material of Theo’s shit. “I was so worried. You have no idea. When I heard Monroe was there and you were going to stay and face her. I couldn’t stand it, being here while you were so far away and in danger.”

“I know,” Theo tells him, “I know but I’m here and I’m okay. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good,” Liam tells him, “Because next time I might have to sneak into your suitcase.”

Theo smiles, nuzzling into Liam’s hair, “Next time you’re coming with me. And it will be a much needed vacation.”

Theo can feel Liam’s answering smile against his skin, “Deal.”


End file.
